Semua Bab Too Human for My Mate, Perfect for the Rival Alpha: Bab 21 - Bab 30

"The Hawthorne Dominion does not treat territorial alliances like a lower-caste trading post," Declan continued, his voice dropping into a smooth, deadly purr as he closed the distance between us. "A lead strategist who fails to stand before the Alpha during an alignment is either incompetent... or being actively silenced."I came to a dead stop, my back still facing him, my teeth digging so hard into my bottom lip I tasted copper.He was right. In our world, an missing strategist wasn't just a breach of etiquette—it was an admission of weakness. Without me there to defend the Silver Creek boundary coordinates, Cassidy had turned my work into a joke."I had every intention of standing in that alignment chamber," I bit out, turning slowly to face the towering Alpha.Declan towered over my full, heavy frame by more than a foot, his massive shoulders blocking out the afternoon sun. He smelled of heavy pine, crushed ice, and the dark, predatory heat of a dominant male. His golden eyes wer

I gripped my leather-bound drafting tablet, adjusting my tunic over my hips as I left the private strategy hall of the Crimson Moon Banquet Hall. The grand council meeting had gone exceptionally well.When the Ashbourne pack elders dragged my initial Silver Creek territory maps through the dirt weeks ago, I knew they were just trying to humiliate a human. They claimed a rankless, heavy-set female had no business plotting pack borders. But their bitter insults only lit a fire in my blood, driving me to map a far superior boundary grid that protected our trade routes while completely cutting off Cassidy Vale's illegal expansion attempts. I wanted this finished before our time at the Crimson Moon Estate ended.My stomach let out an embarrassing, hollow rumble, reminding me it was well past nine at night.I headed down to the lodge's lower dining hall to grab a quick plate of roasted boar. As I turned back toward the grand staircase to return to my upper suite, Garrett Sterling stepped ri

"Are you out of your mind, Alpha Declan?"Delilah Quinn’s frantic voice pierced the quiet hallway, her carefully painted smile completely crumbling. She stood rooted to the carpet outside his suite, clutching the tray of aged berry wine like a shield."I have never ridden a public transport wagon, Miss Quinn," Declan replied, his voice a low, lethal purr that cut through the silence like a serrated blade. "I do not take rides on filthy, messy things that pick up every piece of trash waiting at the stop. And I certainly do not let desperate she-wolves into my private quarters."Delilah froze, her jaw dropping as her entire face flushed deep, mortified crimson. She let out a choked gasp, tears of pure shame welling in her eyes as the vicious insult hit her like a physical blow."I am free tonight, but I refuse to waste a single second on your cheap wine," Declan added coldly, his broad shoulders filling the doorway as he crossed his massive arms. "Report to your pack's boundary post in

"I'll return to work immediately!" Cassidy Vale gasped out, her face twisting in pure humiliation as she scrambled away down the corridor before Grayson could unleash his Alpha fury on her again.Once Cassidy's heels vanished, Piper Collins glanced nervously at Grayson's brooding, stone-cold expression. She cleared her throat and looked at me, sticking out her tongue in a small, playful gesture. "Rowan, I just remembered I need to check the boundary ledgers with the elders! I'll catch up with you later!"Piper practically bolted down the hall, leaving me alone in the oppressive shadow of the Alpha of the Ashbourne pack.I kept my stance rigid, clutching my leather strategy maps against my heavy chest. My face was a mask of cold, unyielding indifference. "Alpha Grayson, is there something you require from me?"The formal, icy title made Grayson's dark brows slam together. His golden wolf-eyes swept over my full frame, taking in my rigid posture. He reached up, forcefully tugging open t

"Where did you summon the courage to do something like this, Rowan?!"Grayson Ashbourne didn't just throw the document across his massive oak desk—he shoved it so hard the thick parchment slid right onto my lap. His face was twisted into a terrifying mask of pure Alpha rage, his golden wolf-eyes flashing with lethal, predatory fire.Behind me, I heard Cassidy Vale let out a soft, venomous snort of laughter.I looked down at the parchment resting against my heavy, plus-size thighs. My human breath hitched in my throat. It was the swapped file from the High Council Hall—the exact charcoal sketches of Declan Hawthorne in various states of focus, detailing his broad shoulders, his lethal jawline, and his commanding stance.The drawing style was meticulous, delicate, and unmistakable. It matched my personal sketching technique down to the stroke of the carbon blade."I didn't draw this," I said, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to sound cold and unbothered.I lifted my head, my e