Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 8

Chapter 1 The Wrong Woman

Vanessa Sinclair hung up, sounding thoroughly pleased with herself.I didn't dare waste a second. As I urged the driver to go faster, I dialed Declan Ashford.After a few rings, he picked up.Deafening music blared in the background, punctuated by the sharp clink of crystal glasses. He was already at the engagement party."Alpha Declan, your mother is in one of the houses on the estate. Your secretary, Vanessa, is assaulting her. You need to get over there right now—""Stop. I already know what you're going to say." He cut me off before I could finish.I froze. "What?"He sighed, his voice thick with impatience. "Selena, we may be getting engaged, but your family needs to learn boundaries. Your mother cannot use your relationship with me as an excuse to sneak into my house and steal."My grip tightened around the phone. "You've got this wrong. She's your—""I don't care if she's my future mother-in-law. I am not obligated to tolerate her greed just because she gave birth to yo

Chapter 2 Blood Pact

The Thorncrown Pack Alpha Estate had already been transformed for the engagement celebration.A golden arch stood in the center of the lawn, engraved with the image of a wolf wearing a crown of thorns.Dozens of wolves had gathered, all members of Declan's pack.The moment my heels touched the ground, every conversation died. They looked at me with curiosity, yes, but more than that, with pity.Frowning, I walked through the archway and immediately understood why. In the corner of the courtyard lay a body covered with a white sheet.I stopped cold. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.Then Vanessa, Declan's secretary, glided through the crowd toward me. She put on an innocent expression and gave me a coy little blink."Selena, I'm so sorry. I only meant to correct your mother's behavior. A few slaps, a little scare. I had no idea she was that fragile. She literally got scared to death. You're not going to blame me for that, are you?"Dead?My heart slammed against my ribs.

Chapter 3 The Woman Under the Sheet

I glanced at the blood pact and didn't take it."If someone needs to sign," I said evenly, "it wouldn't be me."Declan's jaw tightened instantly. He thought I was deliberately trying to hurt Vanessa."Selena, don't push your luck. Your mother is worthless. No power, no brains, no contribution to this world."He curled his lip in contempt. "Vanessa is still young. She has her whole future ahead of her. Are you really going to ruin her life over a dead woman?"Victoria nodded vigorously beside him. "Exactly. Your mother did nothing but waste resources and take up oxygen. Or what, are you trying to extort money from us with your mother's death? I clearly overestimated you."Vanessa started crying again. "Alpha, this is all my fault. Maybe I should resign if that will help Ms. Hawthorne calm down…""You are not resigning. Selena, I'll ask you one last time. Are you signing or not?" Declan pulled Vanessa behind him protectively and fixed me with an icy stare.I listened quietly unti

Chapter 4 The Truth at the Door

No one noticed the color draining from Declan's face. Every eye in the courtyard was fixed on my mother."Who invited this she-wolf? She's late.""What low-blood stray thinks she can crash an Alpha's engagement celebration?""Pathetic. Security in this pack keeps getting worse. They'll let any lowborn mutt in to contaminate our territory."Vanessa quickly wiped away the tears she'd been using to win sympathy and strode forward.She planted herself between Declan and my mother, her voice dripping with undisguised contempt. "Lowborn, who gave you permission to enter Thorncrown Pack's court?"She practically shrieked the words, like she was driving livestock off the property. "Guards, get this ill-mannered idiot out of here! You hungry? Maybe the dumpsters outside the estate have something you'd like."She lifted her chin, malice gleaming in her eyes. "That's where we leave scraps for the lower servants anyway."My mother was clearly caught off guard by the sudden hostility and in

Chapter 5 The Body on the Stretcher

"So… the dead woman isn't Selena's mother."The moment Declan said it, the tense silence in the courtyard tightened even further.My mother stared at him, clearly baffled by the sudden statement. Her brows furrowed deeper."Declan, what is wrong with you today? I'm standing right here. Why would I be dead?"As she spoke, her gaze swept over Declan, lingered briefly on Vanessa's ghost-white face, then landed on me. "Selena, what exactly is going on?"Victoria was the first to recover. She stepped in front of my mother and gave her a disdainful once-over."So what if you're Selena's mother? Who's going to prove you didn't sneak in earlier? More than one person here saw you sneaking into the Alpha Estate."A flicker of surprise crossed my mother's face. "Today? Earlier today, I was still at Silvermoon Pack."She pulled out her phone, the location data clearly showing where she had been."Then it seems Selena's mother couldn't have been at the Alpha Estate earlier.""Could Ms. Si

Chapter 6 The Mother No One Recognized

I was the one bullying people? Maybe they should open their eyes and look at who had actually beaten a werewolf to death.I lifted my eyes, sweeping my gaze across every member of the Thorncrown Pack before speaking calmly. "Then send for the elders from every pack."Declan's brow furrowed. "Why bring the elders into this all of a sudden?"I glanced at him coolly. "You think the person on that stretcher was someone from my pack who snuck in. None of you believe what I'm saying. Fine. Bring in the elders. Let them examine the body."I paused before adding, "Then review every security recording in this estate."Vanessa's face went deathly pale.She grabbed Declan's sleeve in a panic. "Alpha, this is your engagement banquet. It's been planned for ages. If the elders find out and start questioning your leadership in front of everyone…"She bit her lip, then continued urgently. "Ms. Hawthorne is doing this on purpose. She wants to blow this up until nobody can contain it. "Then she

Chapter 7 The Alliance Ends

Declan glared at me, his stare sharp enough to cut. "Selena, my patience has limits."As if making the hardest decision of his life, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath."If you don't want to stay engaged to me anymore, fine. But today, you will go through with the engagement banquet as planned. The moment it ends, I'll break things off with you. You have my word."Vanessa pouted, swallowing her grievance as she hurried over to play peacemaker."Ms. Hawthorne, this banquet involves both packs. Please think about your people, too. When Declan's mother gets back, just go through with the engagement properly. If there's some misunderstanding, we can explain everything after the guests leave."And if my presence here makes you unhappy, I'll leave. I promise I won't appear in front of you again…"I turned to Vanessa and grabbed her wrist. "Oh, you're not leaving."My voice was calm. "After all, you're the one who killed Declan's mother. Why would I let the murderer walk away?"

Chapter 8 They Burned the Wrong Woman

The driver's words struck the courtyard like silent thunder."She entered the Alpha Estate…"As the final words fell, the air turned deathly still.Declan clenched the phone in his fist and strode toward his mother's room.Inside, a suitcase had already been opened and dumped onto the floor for everyone to see. It held not only his mother's clothes, but over a dozen unwrapped gifts.Vanessa pushed her way into the room. The second she saw the suitcase, her eyes lit up.She pointed at it, practically jumping in excitement. "I've seen that suitcase! That stinking old woman had it!""You're sure?" I looked at her evenly. "That suitcase belonged to the person you had punished?"Thinking she had caught me in a lie, Vanessa grabbed Declan's arm and shook it, openly smug. "I told you she was here to steal! Look, the suitcase wasn't even packed back up before she got caught. That's proof!"Declan stumbled, barely managing to catch himself against the wall.Vanessa either didn't notic

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