Semua Bab Love Was Never the Deal: Bab 11 - Bab 20

He finally lifted his eyes to meet mine, his gaze cold—almost cruel.I whispered, my fingernails digging deep into my palms, "You know what that means.""They're the most brutal pack!" I ground out, each word forced from my throat. "And you know exactly what kind of man Kane is."My father lingered in the shadows, his gaze hard and calculating, as if weighing a tool he could discard at any moment."Of course I know," he said slowly. "But that is your only value."The air froze.In that moment, blood rushed to my head.I stared at him, chest heaving, and let out a cold laugh. "You haven't changed a bit."The fire in the hearth crackled, casting flickering shadows across his eyes.Everyone knew Alpha Kane!Legend had it that his father died in an internal uprising—betrayed by his own brother, his throat torn out, his body left to rot in the snow. His mother, upon hearing the news, had chosen to follow him in death. Kane was still a young wolf then, not yet of age.Years of wandering fol

A crack finally appeared in his expression."What do you mean?""First," I held up one finger, "hand over every single item my mother left behind—immediately and in full. Including that moonstone pendant you've been holding onto."His jaw tightened."That thing is worthless.""Not to you," I said evenly. "But to me, it's non-negotiable."I didn't give him a chance to reply before continuing."Second, I want an additional fifty million dollars."His coffee cup slammed onto the table with a sharp clatter."Are you out of your mind?" he hissed, eyes narrowing. "Do you realize what you're demanding?""I know exactly what I'm asking for." I didn't flinch. "One year. One year as Luna. One year of risk. Fifty million—that's nothing to you.""Are you threatening me?""Not a threat." I shook my head gently. "An offer."He scoffed, cold and sharp."You really think you have room to bargain?"I leaned back in my chair, speaking deliberately. Of course I do. Otherwise, you wouldn't be sitting her

This sentence struck me like an arrow shot from the shadows, piercing straight through my heart.I froze, utterly stunned.That night five years ago—all of it. I had believed he would remember, that he wouldn't dismiss it with such cold indifference. Yet he… had no recollection whatsoever.Chaos churned in my mind, my smile frozen stiff as stone. I tried to speak, but my throat felt clogged, no sound emerging.I sprang to my feet, palms damp with sweat. My breath came in gasps, my heart pounding as if it would burst from my chest. What right did I have to bring up events from five years ago? As a woman who'd shared a night with him, who had clung on relentlessly? No—I wouldn't allow myself to stoop that low. Pride stood like a wall in me, unyielding, too solid to retreat even an inch."I… need to use the restroom." My voice was low but firm, an attempt to seal off the storm raging inside.Kane paused but didn't press further. His gaze stayed fixed on me, that deep, unfathomable look m

Leona's POVElizabeth's voice sounded beside me, low and composed."You shouldn't have agreed so readily."I didn't answer at once."Perhaps," I murmured. "But at least now, he trusts me."Only then did Elizabeth turn to face me."You must be confused," she said, her tone softening noticeably.I remained silent."About Freya," Elizabeth continued as she sat down, "and about Kane."My heart tightened.She gestured for me to join her on the bench, then seated herself across from me, hands folded neatly in her lap. Her expression was solemn, as though she were preparing to exhume a long-buried truth."Kane and Freya had never met before all this," she said bluntly.I stiffened, instinctively lifting my head."…They didn't know each other at all?""No." Elizabeth nodded. "At least, they had no connection whatsoever before four years ago.""One morning, four years ago, Freya suddenly appeared at the edge of the pack's territory." She paused, as if replaying the memory. "She was holding a n

Kane's POVThe stairs groaned under my weight, each step a hollow echo, a reminder of what awaited me.The dining room lights were already on, casting a warm, yellow glow over the long table—but it did nothing to soften the taut, suffocating tension in the air. My mother, Elizabeth, sat upright at the head of the table, her back perfectly straight, hands folded neatly on the surface. She wasn't eating, wasn't reviewing documents. She was simply watching me.Her gaze made me sigh silently."What exactly are you up to, Kane?"Just as I expected.I pulled out a chair and sat across from her, the legs scraping briefly against the floor. I didn't look up immediately. Instead, I poured myself a glass of water, letting the cool liquid bring me back into the present."Nothing," I said flatly.Her brows immediately drew together."Don't play dumb," Elizabeth said, her voice still controlled but taut with strain. "What happened today—you arranged it, didn't you?"The glass paused at my lips. I