Chapter 4

After ten years, everything changed.

Margaret had given me not only the warmth of a home but also forged me into Blackstone Consortium’s blade. I now commanded the consortium’s shadow division—the hand that dealt with secrets, threats, and everything too dark for the light of day.

The frail girl from a decade ago no longer existed.

Ruthless training had added eight inches to my height. The awakening of my Silvermoon Wolf had reshaped my body. Even my hair had changed, turning from chestnut to gleaming silver-white.

Most important of all, Margaret had hired the best doctors money could buy to erase every scar from my body, including the cigarette burn Emma had left on me as a child.

Today was the day of the Werewolf Council’s annual Hunt Festival. I was there as Blackstone’s representative. Emma was there as the Silvermoon Pack’s shining star.

In the preparation grounds before the hunt began, she stood surrounded by a flock of admirers.

“Emma, your White Wolf bloodline is remarkable.”

“I heard you took down a bear on your own?”

Emma tilted her chin proudly. “That was nothing. It only took me three minutes.”

Her gaze swept the grounds, then stopped on me. “A new face? Which minor pack are you from?”

I ignored her and continued checking my gear.

“I’m talking to you. Do you know who I am? I'm Emma of the Silvermoon Pack, future mate of the Alpha heir.” Her voice rose with arrogance. “You’d better show some respect.”

I still did not answer. My silence stoked her temper. She reached for my tracker, but I sidestepped easily.

“Fast reflexes.” She narrowed her eyes. “So, you’ve got some skill, after all.”

Then, she struck again, trying to clamp my shoulder. It was a move to assert dominance among wolves.

I leaned just enough for her hand to miss, then lightly nudged her. She stumbled back two steps.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

“You…” Emma’s face burned crimson. Her claws appeared as she shifted into half-wolf form.

I remained fully human, tilting back just enough for her claws to swipe past my nose, leaving my clothes untouched.

“I suggest you calm down. Attacking before the hunt will get you disqualified," I said evenly.

I raised my wrist, showing the sleek band on it. “Besides, this tracker has a life monitoring feature and an automatic alert system. Do you really want to test it?”

Her claws retracted, but she still seethed with anger. Her eyes burned with jealousy as they flicked to my device. “That thing must have cost a fortune. Did you steal it, or did you sell yourself for it?”

Laughter broke out around us.

“Look at her face. She definitely slept her way into position.”

“She’s from Blackstone.” A few eyes caught Blackstone Consortium's logo embroidered on my sleeve.

Emma circled me like a predator. “Nice body. No wonder Blackstone is keeping you around. But compared to me, you’re nothing.”

Suddenly, she grabbed my hair. “Silver-white? What a joke. It’s just dye, isn’t it? Stop pretending you’re noble.”

I dodged her hand.

“You think being quick makes you special?” Her cheeks flushed red.

“No.” I shook my head. “It just means you’re not worth the effort.”

My words set her lackeys' tempers blazing. “Emma, let us handle her!”

Six wolves pressed forward. I stayed rooted, doing nothing but letting a trace of Silvermoon Wolf dominance radiate from me. It lasted only an instant, but it was enough to make them instinctively step back.

“What’s wrong with you all?” Emma barked, confused.

“N-Nothing…” stammered one of them as sweat beaded on his brow. “Just… felt something…”

I drew the power back and gave a faint smile. “Felt what, exactly?”

They exchanged uneasy looks, but no one dared to answer. The dominance of my bloodline sent an instinctive shiver of fear through them.

Emma got furious when she saw them stepping back. “Useless!”

She snatched my tracker and raised it as if to smash it.

I did not stop her. Instead, I said, “Go ahead. It’s worth five million dollars. It's Blackstone tech. Break it, and the penalty is ten times the value—50 million.”

Her hand faltered.

I added, “Of course, your family can afford it. But the debt will go straight into the council’s credit registry. Would the council still trust someone who destroys others’ property out of spite to be an heiress?”

Her jaw clenched. Then, with a defiant glare, she hurled it down.

“Fifty million, right?” She let out a cold sneer. “That's nothing I can't afford!”

“A cheap whore like you doesn’t need fancy gear anyway. Your best skill isn’t hunting; it’s warming beds.”

Her lackeys burst into cruel laughter.

“Emma’s right!”

“Why bother with weapons when you can hunt naked?”

“Alright.” I smiled and pulled out my phone. “I’m already connected to the council’s arbitration system. Everything from earlier has been transmitted.”

Emma’s face was drained of color.

Then, the horns sounded, signaling the hunt’s beginning.

“You’ll pay for this!” Emma hissed a warning and stormed off with her lackeys.