جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

Slade's loyal vow made my chest tighten.In my past life, he hadn't spoken a single full sentence to me in five years.I ruined countless batches of herbs and begged healers from four different packs. He just kept his head down, flinching as if I disgusted him whenever I touched his eyelids.And now, just to stand beside Cecilia, he became the sharpest guard.Seeing this, Corbin immediately stood taller. "My combat skills are just as sharp. Let me be Lady Cecilia's guard."Father narrowed his eyes, looking them over before waving a hand. "Talk is cheap.""I've arranged ten guards here. One is carrying a weapon laced with wolfsbane, ready to strike. Whoever finds that person first, stays."He gestured, and ten pack guards formed a line at the doors.Corbin moved immediately. He walked down the line, studying and scenting them one by one, his pace quickening.Slade stood exactly where he was, not moving an inch. With his cloudy eyes fixed forward, his nose twitched. Suddenly, his wrist f

The sharp crack of the slap echoed down the hallway.Slade's head snapped to the side, a red handprint forming on his cheek. He froze in disbelief, the violent aura around him fading."A lowly guard doesn't give orders to an Alpha.""If you don't understand that, you don't deserve to wear that uniform."I glared at him and turned to leave.I thought that my rebirth, my careful planning, and drawing clear lines would help me avoid the tragedy of my past life. But the attack arrived right on schedule anyway.Three days later, the ward sent Cecilia and me to drop off supplies at the northern pack border. Our convoy was attacked on a gravel road deep in the old forest.Four masked figures emerged from the trees, smelling like feral rogues.I expected them to rush me with wolfsbane-laced daggers, just like in my past life. But when a fist-sized object was thrown out of the woods and landed squarely between Cecilia and me, I realized this was entirely out of my control.A red light blinked

A high-ranking guard named Aaron was waiting at the helipad. "Wallace briefed us, Alpha," he bowed slightly. "I'll be your personal escort. Your mother's lawyer, Kirk, is waiting in the boardroom."I nodded, ignoring the exhaustion. "Let's go."On the drive in, I rested my eyes in the back of the town car.My new secure phone vibrated. Kirk had sent over a detailed file.I now held full control over a global medical network, elite pack hospitals, and cutting-edge drug labs. It was ten times larger than I'd imagined.My mother had never relied on the Lockwood name. She'd used them as a cover to build a massive empire.Richard didn't just murder her for pack control. He wanted this hidden fortune.The Lockwood pack had only survived because she allowed it.Kirk greeted me in the executive office. He handed me a thick folder."Diana, this is the master transfer agreement. Her orders were absolute: the moment you came of age or fled the pack, full control would instantly be yours."I flip

"Years ago, Diana barely survived those feral rogues just to drag you to safety. You called it a tragic accident," Slade pressed forward, step by step."But I dug into the pack logs. You always wore a custom perfume laced with scents that drive wolves feral. You planned that attack to ruin her first shift."Cecilia was shaking violently, covering her mouth, unable to speak."Enough!" Richard roared. "One more word of this treason, and I'll kill you right here!""Try it." Slade didn't flinch, a mocking smirk curling his lips."We know exactly what you did. You used us as meat shields to absorb your rival's hits. And now that Diana's gone and your accounts are bleeding dry, you need us as muscle to steal her mother's medical network."Exposed, Richard's face twisted into an ugly sneer.He raised his cane to strike, but Corbin caught the heavy wood mid-air."I wouldn't do that," Corbin warned softly. "The paper trail we have is enough to bring down the Alpha King's Royal Enforcers. You wa

"Give me one more chance."He dropped to his knees three feet behind me, his hands braced on the floor. His palms were scraped and bleeding onto the expensive carpet, but he didn't even flinch."You don't have to accept me. You don't ever have to claim me as your Mate. Just let me stay. Let me guard you.""I'll give this life to you."A cold silver gun barrel pressed firmly against his temple.Kirk stepped out of the shadows, pulling back the hammer of the silver-loaded pistol resting against Slade's skull."This isn't the Lockwood packhouse," Kirk warned. "And this isn't the ring. Twitch a muscle, and this silver bullet won't care whose Mate you are."Slade froze entirely. His bleeding, ruined eyes stared at my back, the last flicker of hope dying out completely.Corbin gritted his teeth and hauled his exhausted brother up from the floor. "Let's go."After they were gone, my assistant hurried over. "Alpha, the tech team verified the drive. The files are real. It's enough to let Richar