"Absolutely not!" Garrett snapped, slamming his hands down on his desk as he stood up. Jack just watched him unamused from his seat. "You can't keep pulling these power plays. I'm not a pup anymore. I won't be controlled by your whims and demands."　　Jack's face hardened, lines etched deeper by the weight of expectation. "You think you're so grown up, Garrett, but you still don't understand the responsibilities that come with our bloodline. This isn't about control; it's about preserving our pack and ensuring its future."　　Garrett's eyes flared with anger as he shot back, "You've always used that excuse, Dad. But it's a convenient way to justify your domineering behavior. You've never cared about what I want or who I am as an individual."　　Jack's voice turned cold, his eyes piercing through Garrett's defenses. "I've always done what's best for the pack, including pushing you to embrace your role. You're my eldest son, and it's your duty to lead."　　Garrett's voice grew weary, tinge

　　Brandy strolled through the high-end boutique, her two friends trailing behind her. They were laughing and browsing the racks of designer clothing, oblivious to the surprise that awaited them. As they turned a corner, Brandy's eyes widened, and she froze in her tracks.　　"Lily? That couldn't be you," Brandy said. Lily turned to face Brandy and her once pleasant expression dropped to a slight frown. 　　There, amidst the luxurious display of designer dresses, stood Lily, her half-sister. Brandy's mind raced with confusion and disbelief. What was Lily doing here? She certainly didn't have the money to shop in such an expensive store.　　With a smug smile, Brandy approached Lily, flanked by her friends who were eagerly awaiting the drama about to unfold.　　"Hello Brandy," Lily said, struggling to fake a smile.　　"Well, well, well, if it isn't my dear big sister," Brandy sneered, her voice dripping with condescension. "What brings you to this exclusive boutique? Did you take a wrong turn?

　　"This is exactly why I was against the rejection ceremony!" Kelly exclaimed at Jake. "That woman and her daughter are awful!"　　Their gazes fixed on the television screen as the news anchor reported on a recent incident involving Brandy verbally assaulting Lily. The words that Brandy hurled at Lily were harsh and Kelly couldn't fathom why anyone would treat another person with such cruelty. "Before long our packs are going to look like trash tv."　　"It is normal for two eligible she-wolves to argue and bicker until one is established as Luna," Jake responded, unphased by the news segment. "This is nothing compared to what I have seen. I have seen sisters maim, poison each other just to ensure their place as Luna. Luckily, this just seems like childish bickering."　　"Words lead to actions," Kelly said as she and her sister never did any of this. Her sister was happy for her to be Luna.　　"Then, so be it. The Grey Blood pack needs a strong Luna," Jake said again, dismissing her. "But,

　　"This is unacceptable! This can not happen again," Garrett growled as he rubbed his face wearily and stood up from his desk. 　　Garrett and Adam had spent the entire Christmas Eve hunched over their desks, diligently working to fix the reports left behind by an incompetent employee. Garrett had noticed the errors by chance and spent hours trying to get the right figures. Adam only joined in when he came to his office after Garrett was not returning his calls or responding through the pack link.　　"You could have let me deal with this mess. You could've been at home with Lily," Adam yawned from his place on the loveseat in the corner of his office. 　　"It wouldn't be fair to you either," Garrett said. "We need to fire whoever did these reports. This could've been disastrous."　　"You already fired him,"　　"What?"　　"Ben, the accountant. You already fired him."　　Garrett reached for the edge of the desk but stopped himself. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Garrett wanted to thr

　　"You organized all of this?" Garrett asked in awe, his eyes scanning the room filled with an elaborate spread of food. The aroma of delicious dishes wafted through the air, tantalizing his senses.　　"I wanted to do something special for you. You have done so much for me in such a little time. This was the least I could do," Lily replied with a warm smile, her eyes shimmering with affection.　　This was not what Garrett had expected to come home to. He had braced himself for Lily's fury, anticipating her anger at his prolonged absence of 48 hours. Instead, he was greeted with a feast fit for a king—an expression of love that left him speechless.　　'For an Alpha," Berric, Garrett's wolf, corrected him in his mind. 'She is a proper she-wolf. She is worthy of us, worthy to be our Luna.''　　Garrett couldn't help but be impressed by the effort Lily had put into preparing this magnificent feast. However, a flicker of doubt lingered in his mind. 'She couldn't have done all of this on her own,