Chapter 2

The next morning, I twirled the travel pass between my fingers. Lilith was bandaging a wound nearby, and I turned to her and asked out of pure curiosity, "Are the resorts in the Neutral Zone as beautiful as this place?

"And if I leave, will Gideon still send my allowance on time every month?"

"Are you out of your mind?!" Lilith snapped. She shot to her feet and swept my jewelry off the table. "Evelyn, is money the only thing you understand?

"My brother sold his dagger, the one he always carries for protection, to get you that pass! Take the money and get out, and don't ever come back!"

The door was kicked open.

Gideon stood in the doorway, his face like ice. The crushing force of a powerful Alpha rolled through the room, forcing Lilith to her knees with a thud.

He didn't even glance at his sister. He came straight to me and gently brushed a smudge from the hem of my dress. Then he turned and snapped at her, "Pick up the jewelry and apologize to her."

I accepted Lilith's tearful apology without a shred of guilt. Her brother had given the order, after all.

Besides, Gideon was so strong. The pack wouldn't fall that easily. I'd go have some fun for a few days and wait for him to bring me home.

I turned back to stuffing jewelry and clothes into my suitcase.

I'd just packed the last necklace when a deafening roar came from downstairs.

I stepped onto the balcony and saw a large force of unfamiliar wolves storming our home. They were seizing land and treasures that had belonged to the pack for a century.

A few of our wolves, eyes red, tried to make one last stand, but the Elder held them back with a weary gesture. He looked as if he'd aged ten years overnight. "Let them take it... All of this belongs to other packs now."

From the second floor, I quietly watched the chaos below as the other packs kicked us while we were down.

The sparkling diamond in my hand suddenly felt cold.

Only then did I realize that over the past three years, I'd grown attached to the Obsidian Pack.

I cared more than I'd let myself believe.

But if I stepped in, I'd expose the identity I'd kept hidden for three years. It would mean returning to the High Council and facing its endless power struggles all over again.

If I did nothing, I'd have to watch Gideon's pack get swallowed piece by piece. The thought of losing it tugged at me.

Without Gideon, who would pay my bills? Who would stand by me no matter what? Without the Obsidian Pack, who would I bicker with every day?

The bags I'd been packing still lay open on the table. I stared at them for a long time and didn't pack another thing.

Before long, two envoys from the enemy packs walked into the great hall.

They'd come to tell us we had to hand over our territory by eight o'clock tonight.

One of the envoys wore a smug expression. The moment he spotted me on the stairs, his gaze turned slimy and lewd.

He deliberately raised his voice and shot Gideon a challenging look. "I hear this pet of yours is very delicate? Our leader Julian says if the handover goes smoothly tonight, he'd be happy to take her off your hands and treat her real nice in bed."

The words had barely left his mouth when a sharp crack rang out.

Gideon didn't even draw a weapon. Razor-sharp wolf claws sprang from his fingers as he seized the envoy by the throat and slammed him straight through the wall.

Blood gushed from the envoy's wounds.

The other envoy, pinned in the rubble, laughed and spat blood. "Gideon... go ahead and kill me! But if you're not there by eight tonight, here's what happens.

"Your father and those 300 warriors in the prison will all die!"

As I watched Gideon's rigid back tremble, warmth surged through my chest.

The lives of his entire pack were being held over him, yet he still refused to let anyone humiliate me in the slightest.

After the envoys were thrown out, the stronghold went deathly quiet.

Gideon took a deep breath, fought down the rage in his bloodshot eyes, and forced a reassuring smile for me. Then he practically shoved me into the car bound for the Neutral Zone. "Change of plans. You're leaving now."

The driver, apparently following Gideon's orders, sped away and soon left the Obsidian Pack far behind.

I looked back the way we'd come as the dread in my gut deepened.

Those people were never going to let him walk away.

I could leave. I could keep my identity hidden and keep myself safe. But I didn't want to watch the man who'd protected me all these years go to hell alone.

That was when I finally made up my mind.

"Stop the car," I said coldly to the guard behind the wheel.

The guard ignored me. "The Alpha's orders. I have to get you out safely."

I didn't waste another word. I kicked the door open and leaned halfway out of the car, my long hair whipping in the wind. I met the guard's terrified gaze. My voice was flat. "Either turn around and take me to the negotiation chamber now, or take my corpse with you."