ログインBRAHAM'S POVThe genetic test results were due today. The lab had promised them by noon, delivered directly to the Council and to our legal team simultaneously.It was 10:47 AM, and something felt wrong."You're pacing," Renan observed from where he sat on my office couch. "The results will prove what we already know.""I know that." I checked my phone again. Nothing. "But this whole thing has been too convenient. Too well-timed. Too perfectly designed to cause maximum damage.""You think someone might tamper with the results?""I think someone orchestrated this entire scandal. And if they've gone this far, why stop now?" I grabbed my jacket. "Come on.""Where are we going?""The lab. Now."Renan didn't argue, just followed me to the car. The testing facility was in a medical complex downtown—sterile, professional, supposedly independent. The Council had chosen it specifically because it had no pack affiliations. But independence could be bought.We arrived at 11:53. “What could be
MILLIE'S POVThree days after the scandal broke, I was done being defensive.I'd spent seventy-two hours reading vicious comments, watching my reputation get shredded, waiting for test results that would prove what I already knew. Watching my engagement turn into tabloid fodder.I was done reacting. Done letting other people control the narrative.It was time to take something back."Are you sure about this?" Callie asked as we pulled up to the sleek glass building downtown. "You've got enough on your plate right now.""That's exactly why I'm doing this." I unbuckled my seatbelt, staring at the logo above the entrance: Maison Étoile. "My mother built this company. And I'm not letting my father and his decisions destroy it."I'd discovered the truth not long ago, buried in the trust documents Will had finally finished sorting through. My mother had left me sixty percent of her company—majority control that transferred when I turned twenty-five.I'd turned twenty-five months ago.Which
MILLIE'S POVBraham didn’t walk through the front door until a little after nine o’clock. He didn't look like the Alpha King; he looked like a man who had spent the last several hours being dismantled by bureaucracy. His expression was a mask of grim control, but the tension in his shoulders was sharp enough to cut glass."How bad was it?" I asked, rising from the sofa before he’d even shed his coat. I’d been pacing the living room for three hours, wearing a path into the rug."Bad enough." He tossed his coat over a chair and moved toward me, his movements heavy. "They want genetic testing. Independent lab, a facility of their choosing. They gave us a one-week deadline.""And you agreed?" My voice rose, a mix of disbelief and protective fury. "Braham, that’s invasive. That’s…""I had no choice, Millie." He sat heavily, rubbing his face with his palms. "If I refused, the narrative writes itself: Alpha King Hides Paternity Truth. It would look like we have something to bury. I had to ca
MILLIE’S POV I woke up on New Year's Day with Braham's arm around me and a ring on my finger.For about thirty seconds, everything was perfect.Then my phone started ringing."Ignore it," Braham mumbled, still half-asleep.But it kept ringing. Then his phone started. Then mine again."What the hell?" I grabbed my phone, squinting at the screen. Will's name flashed across it. At 7:43 AM on New Year's Day.That couldn't be good."Will?" I answered. "What's wrong?""Millie, I need you to stay calm." His voice was tight, controlled. The voice he used when things were very, very bad. "Have you seen the news this morning?""No, I just woke up. What…""Don't look at it yet. I'm sending over a statement for you to approve. The legal team is already working on response options."My stomach dropped. "Will, what happened?"Beside me, Braham was now fully awake, watching me with sharp eyes."There's a story. Multiple outlets picked it up overnight. Tabloids, gossip sites, some mainstream media."
MILLIE'S POV"So what's the plan for tonight?" I asked, feigning ignorance as we drove toward the lake."Just a nice New Year's Eve thing," Braham said casually. "Renan suggested we do something special."In the backseat, Callie was unusually quiet, staring out the window. Renan kept his eyes on her.The drive was peaceful—no suspicious whispering, no cryptic exchanges. Just four people heading out to celebrate the new year together.When we pulled into the overlook parking area, Braham cut the engine."Okay," Renan said. "Braham, Callie—can you two head down and make sure the setup looks good? Millie and I will grab everything from the trunk.""Setup?" I asked."Just some stuff we brought," Renan said quickly. "Come on, let's check what we've got."Braham and Callie headed down the path toward the overlook while Renan led me to the back of the car. He popped the trunk, revealing flowers, champagne, blankets, and a few wrapped boxes."Wow, you really went all out," I said. "Had to m
VIVIAN'S POVThree days after Christmas, I'd made my decision.I would warn Braham. Tell him about Father's plans. Do the right thing regardless of the consequences.Roy's warnings echoed in my head, but I pushed them aside. This was about my conscience, not about what my family wanted.I drove to the Gothan estate mid-morning, rehearsing what I'd say. The words felt clumsy in my mouth, but the intent was clear: Your life is in danger. My family is planning to kill you. Please, just listen.The estate gates loomed ahead, tall and imposing. I pulled up to the security booth, rolling down my window."I'm here to see Alpha King Gothan," I said to the guard. "It's urgent."The guard—a young wolf I didn't recognize—checked his tablet. "Name?""Vivian Hunter."His expression shifted immediately. "One moment, please."He stepped into the booth, speaking into a phone I couldn't hear. When he returned, his face was apologetic but firm."I'm sorry, Ms. Hunter. The Alpha King isn't accepting vis







