Chapter 2

As soon as the words left his mouth, several uniformed pack members flooded into the room. The man standing behind them adjusted his expensive-looking suit and spoke in a low, stern voice.

"What's going on here? Aria, as my secretary, your behavior reflects on me! I don't want to see this kind of chaos again!"

I stared at the man before me and forced an elegant smile. "Alpha Leo, hello."

Looking at Leo, I nodded with satisfaction. I had to admit Leo was the kind of Alpha females fantasized about. He was handsome and powerfully built, with the commanding presence that turned heads wherever he went.

Meeting Leo's scrutinizing gaze, I continued, "I'm Wendy Convery, and I'm your..."

Before I could finish, Leo gave me a contemptuous once-over. He raised his hand and gestured to one of the pack members. "I don't want to talk to irrelevant people."

The next second, the members blocked my view with their towering figures.

I froze. When had I become irrelevant? I was Leo's intended partner, soon to be his mate.

Anger flared hot in my chest, but I forced myself to take a deep breath. "Alpha Leo, our marking ceremony has the attention of the entire Alliance. I'm your mate. How am I irrelevant?"

Leo's handsome face twisted into a mocking expression. "So, you do know the marking ceremony has the attention of the entire Alliance! A lowly werewolf coming to the Moon pack? You must have schemed quite hard for this."

He looked me up and down with disgust. "But let me tell you. You're nowhere near worthy of becoming my Luna. If it weren't for what your pack offered, why would you even be standing here? Stop humiliating yourself."

His eyes filled with endless contempt. "Too bad your pack is so pathetic. The resources they could provide were barely worth mentioning."

The disgust in his gaze deepened. "Since we're on the subject, let me make this clear. Even if you become my mate, you have no right to interfere with pack affairs!

"You need to understand exactly what you traded to get where you are today! If you displease me, I'll sever the bond at any time and make you a pack slave!"

Leo's words sent ice through my veins. "If you're this reluctant, Alpha Leo, then let's cancel the marking ceremony."

I thought Leo would agree. Instead, he let out a cold laugh.

"What's wrong? Did I hit a nerve? If you had the guts to come to the Moon pack, you should be prepared to be ridiculed. This isn't a place you can just waltz in and out of whenever you please."

I stepped forward and met his eyes with an icy stare. "I'm sorry, but this is exactly the kind of place I can waltz in and out of whenever I please. The Moon pack means nothing to me."

The moment the words left my mouth, low growls erupted around me. The pack members glared at me viciously, as if they would tear me apart at any second.

"No need to put on a tough act to cover up your insecurities." Leo smiled at me mockingly. "You reek of weakness and poverty, and yet you're still talking big?"

I hesitated. Suppressing my scent had become a habit after years of covert work. I never imagined it would become a reason for people to look down on me.

Looking at Leo, I felt like laughing. The Moon pack was merely one of the better packs in the Alliance. Its location wasn't particularly advantageous, so most of the pack's resources came from trading with surrounding packs.

And the pack that traded with the Moon pack most frequently was none other than Alliance Chairman Alpha Cole's Bloodmoon pack.

Leo begged Alpha Cole for resource exchanges at least ten times a year. But he would never know that the mysterious assistant standing beside Alpha Cole was me.

A cold laugh escaped me. I couldn't wait to see Leo's face when he realized what he'd just thrown away. These snarling pack members would lose their minds.

I gave him a cool nod. "Since I'm so far beneath you, Alpha Leo, let's cancel the ceremony. After all, you are truly… noble."

I emphasized the last word heavily.

Leo's eyes flashed with distrust. He clearly couldn't believe that someone like me would give up an opportunity others would kill for. "That's the best decision you could make. I hope you truly mean to cancel the ceremony."

I nodded. "Since the ceremony is canceled, please return my pack's resources. After all, I'm no longer your mate. I should take those resources with me."