Richard's POV

I woke up feeling strangely relaxed. The curtains were drawn tight, blocking out the light, but I could tell it was already the next morning.

Last night, someone from the rival pack slipped something into my drink-something meant to mess with my head. They clearly underestimated my control. I didn't turn into some crazed beast. I just went into a heat I couldn't ignore.

The moment the drug kicked in, I knew exactly what had happened. I made my way from the basement to the top floor quietly. No one would know. Once I reached my room, the urge inside me only grew stronger.

I told myself I'd deal with those bastards later, once the effects wore off. They'd regret thinking they could play me like that.

Truth be told, heats weren't really a thing for me. This was the first time I'd let lust nearly take over.

I didn't have a mate-not that an alpha like me needed one.

But right then, I had to take care of the problem. So I called Byron, my ever-efficient beta. "Byron, it's me. You should know what's happened. Find me a female. Now."

"Yes, alpha," he said without hesitation. "She'll be there soon."

I hung up, trying to stay calm while waiting for whoever he'd send. Sure enough, the door cracked open after a short while.

She called my name. That was all the confirmation I needed-must've been the one Byron sent.

I didn't hold back with her. She responded to every move, her body writhing under mine, breathless and eager. That only pushed me further. She clung to me like I was the only thing that mattered, her body trembling under the weight of what we both needed.

I poured myself into her, kissed her like I couldn't get enough. Her lips were addictive, her skin intoxicating.

But more than that-it was her scent. The moment I caught it, I knew. She was my fated one. I couldn't stop thinking about her. I tried to mark her, claim her fully, but she resisted.

That pissed me off. I had to pull back, bracing myself against the heat building inside. Then she spoke.

"Just... not now."

I backed down. There was something about her-this mix of boldness and shyness, strength wrapped in sweetness. She tasted just like her scent promised.

Maybe she just needed time. Our meeting wasn't exactly planned. No one expected to find their destined mate like this-but here she was. And she was everything.

Even now, completely sober, I couldn't stop replaying the night in my mind. It'd be impossible to forget her.

After sitting on the bed for a few minutes, I called out for Byron. He showed up fast.

"Alpha, how are you feeling?" Byron kept his head bowed, voice steady. "I turned away anyone asking about you last night, even the hotel manager. Do you have any new orders?"

I got dressed, lifted my chin, and went ice cold. "Did you find out who drugged my drink?"

Byron didn't skip a beat. "Belen Morgan, Silverfang's alpha. He wanted to team up with you but didn't know how to convince you. So, he brought in a hot female. Worried she alone wouldn't do the trick, he had something slipped into your drink. I got rid of her before she even got close."

"Silverfang," I said his pack's name like poison. "Byron, I don't want to hear another word about them pulling stunts like this again."

For a pack that tiny, they sure had some nerve. They came at the wrong alpha. I wasn't one to let something like this slide.

Byron looked a little surprised. He knew this meant war-and Bloodmoon didn't take war lightly. It had been a while, but I hadn't forgotten how to burn traitors down.

Being played like that? Yeah. I hated that most of all.

Byron lowered his head again, looking serious. "I'll pass on your orders quietly to a few deltas. Silverfang got greedy. Bloodmoon doesn't take threats lightly. They're gonna pay for it."

I pulled the curtain aside, squinting into the flood of sunlight. Warm, just like the soft curve of that she-wolf from last night.

Damn it. I couldn't stop thinking about her. I needed a cold shower-fast. Heading for the bathroom, I asked before I went in, "Byron, where exactly did you find that she-wolf last night?"

"What?" Byron blinked like I'd just slapped him. He looked honestly confused. "I got her from our pack."

"Okay, then I need her name."

"But... she never came, Alpha." Now he looked rattled. "She said there was already a she-wolf in your room when she arrived, so she left without going in. She didn't dare bother you. I figured you'd handled it yourself."

"I didn't." My voice stayed calm, but my mind wasn't. "So who the hell was she?"

Byron's eyes went wide. Then came the nervous glance. "Wait... you really didn't know her?"

This had officially gotten weird. A random stranger sneaks in to sleep with me? That wasn't just suspicious-it was dangerous. What if she was a spy, sent from another pack to get something out of me?

I touched the scratch marks she'd left on my neck. Oddly enough, I didn't feel angry. All I could think of was how she smelled-how she felt. Everything else faded.

"So, I guess I slept with the wrong person," I muttered. "Maybe she just walked into the wrong room."

Was I seriously trying to defend her? To ease Byron's concern? I couldn't believe myself.

Not that Byron would question me. He's always been loyal to the core. I didn't have to explain a damn thing. But something about her stuck with me. Maybe that's what it means to find your true mate. If so, I couldn't say I minded one bit.

"I understand," Byron said, definitely not pushing it. "But Alpha, there's something else. The meeting with Ashen Pack-it's today. Alpha Francis is bringing his daughter to meet you this morning."

His reminder hit me like a brick. I paused, thinking. "Right. I'll be there."

One thing was clear-I'd gotten myself into a whole mess. A mysterious mate who vanished into thin air. A promised mate from Ashen Pack I'd never met.

Back when Ashen Pack still stood strong, their Luna made a pact with my grandfather. She once saved his life, and that's how our packs started working together.

Since then, both of them passed away. The connection between our packs faded.

I rose to lead Bloodmoon as its youngest Alpha ever. I'd built everything to perfection. We were powerful-untouchable. That was something I took pride in.

Meanwhile, Ashen Pack was crumbling under Francis. I knew they were in trouble-frequent rogue attacks, barely holding on. So Francis remembered the old deal.

My father chose to honor it. They'd sworn to the Moon Goddess, after all. A promise like that couldn't be ignored.

Francis's daughter was meant to be my mate, the Luna of Bloodmoon.

But now, my heart had already chosen someone else.

She was the one-I was sure of it. And I was going to find her.

Perry's POV

After a wild night, all I needed was some decent rest. No clue when I passed out on Gina's bed.

The blaring ringtone yanked me out of a sweet dream.

I groaned and peeled my eyes open begrudgingly. The phone lay right beside me, practically demanding attention.

"Francis again?" I grumbled internally.

His name flashed on the screen. Ignoring him wouldn't help-he was the type to keep calling till I picked up. I took a deep breath, gave myself two seconds of silence, then tapped to answer. Tried to keep my tone chill. "What do you want?"

"Perry, where are you?" Francis's voice held a weird mix of worry and frustration-definitely more worried I'd hang up than about me. "I waited at the train station all night. You never showed."

I stared blankly at the ceiling, not saying a word. So what he waited all night. It wasn't like he had to deal with waking up in a stranger's bed like I did. I answered coolly, "I didn't ask you to wait for me."

"It's fine," Francis said without missing a beat, still weirdly calm. That surprised me. But the next sentence wiped any goodwill off my face. "Tell me where you are. I'll come get you and we'll grab something to eat. Once you've rested up, we'll go see Alpha Richard like we planned. I told you-Bloodmoon Pack's strength is unmatched. Becoming his mate, their luna, would be the best thing for you."

"If it's so great, why don't you do it yourself?" I snapped, half-joking, half-serious.

"Come on, Perry, don't be ridiculous. I'm your father. If Alpha Richard wasn't worthy, I wouldn't push this."

That just made me picture some angry, greasy-haired alpha with zero charm and a whole lot of issues.

Francis's words always sounded better than his actions. But I didn't exactly have much choice right now. I let the silence hang for a while. He didn't dare break it-he knew he needed me to agree to meet Richard.

I'd come all the way from the countryside. Even though things hadn't gone as planned last night, this meeting still needed to happen.

I sighed. "I'm at the Crown Regent Hotel."

"Perfect, Perry! I'll be there soon!" he chirped, clearly too happy.

Click-he hung up.

I groaned again, flopping back on the bed with a scowl.

By the time I woke up again, Gina was gone.

She'd left me a text-said she got called away on something urgent. Probably pack business again. She'd included a long list of hotel tips, classic Gina overthinking everything. Her thoughtfulness made me feel a little lighter.

"Sorry I didn't get time to help investigate," she'd written at the end.

I bit my lip before sending back, "It's fine. I can handle it."

Now it was just me and Francis.

I didn't nap for long before dragging myself to the bathroom for a quick shower. Ditching the pajamas, I took the elevator down to the lobby. As I stepped outside, I spotted him.

Francis was in his usual polished clothes, but he didn't look like the alpha I remembered-more like a regular werewolf. His grey hair was all over the place, and his dull grey-blue eyes looked nothing like Mom's.

I walked toward him, expression unreadable.

He lit up and reached out, all cheer. "Hey, Perry! How'd you sleep?"

I glanced at his bloodshot eyes. Yeah, seemed like he really had stayed up waiting all night.

Then his gaze swept over me, head to toe. I'd gotten Mom's looks, sure, but I never bothered with makeup. Taking care of animals in the rural edges didn't exactly leave space for fashion choices.

"Let's freshen you up first-some makeup, and I've got a beautiful dress I had custom made for you," Francis said with a practiced warmth. "Once Alpha Richard sees how gorgeous you are, he'll be drawn to you for sure."

That irked me. "So you're saying I'm not attractive enough to catch his eye otherwise?"

"No, Perry, that's not what I meant," Francis quickly waved his hands, flustered.

"If you think I'm not good enough, then forget it. I'll head straight back to the countryside and never come back."

"Sweetheart, don't be mad. Fine, no makeup if you don't want it. You're already very beautiful. But at least change your clothes?"

"Nope," I said, face stone cold, not giving him any wiggle room. "Let's be real-you just think I'm out of his league."

Francis let out a resigned sigh. He gave in, probably hoping I'd just play along. He was being surprisingly tolerant today. "Alright, fine. We'll go as you are. Fingers crossed Alpha Richard likes you."

I followed him silently to the car, giving him the cold shoulder the whole ride.

He drove straight into Bloodmoon Pack territory and parked outside a tall building-Richard's workplace.

"Let's go," Francis said as he got out and opened my door, reaching out his hand.

I didn't even glance at him. Just ignored the gesture. Francis awkwardly retracted his hand and smoothed his jacket before leading the way inside. Watching his back, I couldn't help but smirk.

The Ashen Pack used to be a big deal. In my mind, Francis was always the arrogant, untouchable alpha.

Now he was all humble and cautious, trying to trade me for Bloodmoon's support. What a joke.

We took the elevator to the top floor. At the door, we were stopped by Bloodmoon's beta.

"Alpha Francis, I'm Byron," he greeted politely. "Please wait here while I inform Alpha Richard."

Byron turned and left. Francis and I sat down in the waiting area.

It wasn't long before Byron came back with a friendly smile. "Come on in."

I suddenly felt a touch nervous and started fiddling with my fingers. Francis, thrilled but cautious, took my hand and walked in ahead of me. I followed in silence, staying just behind him-until he suddenly pulled me forward, right in front of Richard.

"Alpha Richard," Francis said carefully, "this is my daughter, Perry Lake. She just came in from the countryside and was too anxious to dress up properly. She's really excited to meet you."

I nearly rolled my eyes. The way he lied so smoothly-it was ridiculous.

Francis kept rambling his introduction while I stood there, head down, zoning out. It wasn't until he nudged me that I finally looked up-just in time to meet Richard's gaze.

"Hi, Alpha Richard. I'm Perry," I said evenly, keeping it short.

I studied his face-undeniably handsome. His well-groomed black hair framed striking crimson eyes. One look, and you could feel the dominance radiating off him. His sharp features made it easy to see why people bent to his will. Broad shoulders, toned build, and an expensive outfit that fit just right-he was every bit the powerful alpha.

He lounged in his seat casually, not even putting on any alpha-pressure, and yet it was obvious who held all the power in the room. Of all the werewolves I'd seen, he was easily the best-looking.

Too bad I wasn't into him like that. But he seemed to be under the impression otherwise.

He got up and walked over, leaning his left hand on the edge of the table behind him and scanning my face like he was sizing me up. That stare made me tense immediately.

"Miss Lake arrived last night, then?" His deep voice cut through the moment, eyes narrowing slightly like he was piecing something together.

Francis nodded right away. That eager-to-please look on his face made my stomach turn, so I dropped my gaze again.

"Yes, Perry just arrived yesterday. I took her back to the Ashen Pack to get some proper rest, didn't I?" He shot me a glance.

His voice had that familiar pressure behind it. I gave a reluctant nod.

Richard paused a moment before speaking, looking a bit suspicious. "So she stayed with the Ashen Pack all night?"

I raised an eyebrow, not quite catching what he was getting at. When I looked at him, he had a frown on his face, clearly a bit confused. But seriously-where I slept last night had nothing to do with him, right?

Maybe the alpha from last night was someone he knew, maybe even a packmate. But the lights were off in that hotel room, and neither of us could see the other clearly. Even if he wanted to stir up trouble, he'd have no way of knowing it was me. I rubbed my fingertips together, mind spinning fast.

"Of course! She's my daughter, after all," Francis said, wiping sweat from his forehead with a careful look.

"I need a private word with Miss Lake," Richard said at last, voice cold as ice. "Byron can take you back to the guest room. If you still feel like waiting, be my guest."

"Got it," Francis replied with a fawning grin, quickly turning around to leave.

Now it was just me and Richard in the room.

He looked at me, and I looked right back. We stared each other down for a few seconds before I decided to break the silence.

"I have no intention of being your mate," I said, watching his brows pull together. Still, I pushed on. "We've never met before. This is literally the first time I've seen you. I'm not interested in you. Even if we were somehow matched, it'd fall apart in no time."

I forced the words out, nerves buzzing under my skin, but he kept that frosty expression. I tried to ignore the low-key dominance rolling off him.

"That's actually perfect, because I don't want that either," Richard replied calmly. "I've already found my mate."

At that, the heaviness in my chest lifted like a weight had been yanked off it. Relief bloomed into a small grin on my face. "That's honestly the best news. I already have a mate too. Francis dragged me here. I just needed to tell you straight-up that this whole thing? Not for me."

"Just that?"

"Nope. I'm down to officially cancel whatever arrangement we had."

My voice rang clearly through the room. Richard went quiet again.

I kept smiling. He looked kind of stunned. His crimson eyes locked on mine, but I didn't flinch.

"That's... impressive. So, Miss Lake, is there anything you want?"

I never wanted any of this in the first place. And after what happened last night, the last thing I wanted was to be tied to him.

Right now, all I cared about was finding the alpha from last night-the one who crossed the line-and making him pay for it.

Richard's unexpected approval threw me a little. Part of me had expected him to be offended by how blunt I was. But instead, he took it in stride, which kind of surprised me.

My gut told me if I asked him for help with the Ashen Pack, he'd probably say yes.

But that was exactly what Francis wanted. Not me.

So I shook my head. "Nothing. Alpha Richard, if you've got nothing else to say, then I'll be heading out."

This wasn't my place. I had no reason to stay here.

"I know why you came. If the request came from you, I'd actually consider it," Richard said slowly, lifting an eyebrow, his deep voice tinged with curiosity.

But I just shook my head again, firm. "The Ashen Pack's got nothing to do with me. This isn't on me."

He looked genuinely thrown by my answer. Like he couldn't wrap his head around someone turning down an offer from the Bloodmoon Pack.

Sure, it was a hell of an offer. But I didn't care.

Perry's POV

I turned around and headed straight back to the guest room. Francis was on the sofa, his legs bouncing like crazy. The moment he saw me, he sprang to his feet. "So? Did Alpha Richard agree?"

"No. He already has someone he loves, and I've got my own mate too. There's no way for us to be mates."

"What?" Francis stared at me, completely stunned. "Why not?"

He clutched his chest like he was in actual pain. I just stood there, watching him fall apart. He'd been running all over the place these past few days, even trying to butter me up-all because he thought I'd end up with Richard. But I turned it down.

Honestly, I wasn't expecting it to be that easy to say no to Richard. Maybe he'd never planned to say yes either. Francis was just too sure of himself, and I misread everything.

"No! No way!" Francis took a few deep breaths before shouting. "You, come with me!"

He grabbed my wrist and yanked me forward. I tried to pull away, but he dragged me back anyway. He shoved the door open and started pleading with Richard. "Alpha Richard, I'm so sorry! Perry's just stubborn like that. But she doesn't have a mate. Never has!"

The Ashen Pack had just gotten hit hard by a rogue attack not long ago. The damage was brutal. If Francis couldn't get help from another pack, the Ashen Pack would fall apart, and he'd lose his Alpha title.

Yeah, I knew all of that. Watching him put on this pitiful act, though? Made me feel nothing but bored.

What I didn't expect was that Richard actually didn't get pissed. He looked at Francis calmly and said, "I don't care about that. Miss Lake doesn't want to be my mate, and I've already found my mate. If the Ashen Pack needs help that badly, talk to Byron. Show what you're offering. I'll think it over."

I couldn't help but scoff inside. Francis didn't just want a favor-he was aiming for something way more, to basically tie the Ashen Pack to Bloodmoon and make them their biggest ally.

Too bad. That's not happening anymore. I already shut that door on Richard for good.

Francis looked totally crushed. He lowered his head like someone pulled the ground out from under him. He followed Byron outside and talked for a bit, then came back in and looked at me, disappointed. "Let's go home, Perry."

He had to keep up the act in front of Richard, playing the role of a decent dad-not someone scrambling for power.

My plan worked out, just not in the way I thought it would. But honestly? I didn't feel happy at all. I felt agitated. What happened last night was still playing on a loop in my head, and all I could think about was finding that Alpha again.

Now that Gina wasn't around to help, I'd just have to be patient-and keep looking.Francis didn't say a word as we left the Bloodmoon Pack. He looked tense and annoyed, which honestly worked in my favor-I didn't have to listen to him talk or pretend to care. When I told him to drop me off at the hotel, he just nodded absentmindedly.

I wasted no time getting out of his car and headed straight up to my room, spending the whole afternoon lying low, recharging.

That evening, my phone rang-Francis. This time, I picked up pretty quickly. His voice was scratchy but calm, almost like he was trying too hard to act normal. "Perry, come back to the Ashen Pack for dinner tonight. We're waiting on you."

Right. We all knew the Richard thing was history. But Francis was still trying to butter me up. That surprised me for a second, but then it clicked-he probably thought Richard had been in a decent mood today because of me. Like, maybe getting shot down didn't piss him off because he was crushing on me or something. Francis always was good at seeing what he wanted to see.

After chilling for most of the day, I was feeling way better, and his invite didn't instantly irritate me. I hesitated for a couple of seconds, then said, "Sure. I'll swing by."

It's been forever since I stepped foot in the Ashen Pack territory. Maybe now's the time. Time to revisit the place my mom and I once called home-the house that Francis and his new "queen" have taken over. I guess at some point, I've gotta face them.

So yeah, I dressed up. Picked out a soft, flowing dress. Nothing too flashy, but just enough. More importantly, it covered up the marks someone left on my skin-ones I really didn't want anyone here to see.

When I got to the Ashen Pack, people around didn't recognize me. No one figured out I was Francis's daughter. Not until I got to the front of the house, and he came out to greet me himself.

He gave me a once-over, half impressed, half regretful. "You look beautiful, Perry. Come on, Irene cooked dinner herself tonight."

I followed behind him silently. Lucky for him, he couldn't see my expression-my face was twisted in disgust. Irene Morgan... no, Irene Lake now. The same wolf who'd sunk her claws into Francis back then.

She used to be the sister of Silverfang's old Alpha. That gave her some major backup, so she didn't even try to hide her relationship with Francis. My mom? She didn't matter to Irene in the slightest. Irene flaunted that affair like a badge of honor-even in front of my mom.

After Francis kicked Helena out of her own house, Irene made it clear she didn't want me sticking around either. So Mom had to pack us both up and leave. I was ten when she died. After that, Irene was crowned Luna, and my grandpa took me out to the countryside to raise me.

Haven't heard from Francis since. Not until a few days ago, anyway.

I took a deep breath, trying to cool the emotions boiling in my chest. At the doorway, a girl with soft brown hair was standing there, giving me a once-over like I smelled bad. Her eyes were full of judgment.

Sarah Lake. Francis and Irene's daughter. She used to be called their mistake-now she was their pride and joy. Guess their relationship was so passionate they couldn't even wait till my mom was gone before popping out Sarah and Jonathan.

Jonathan Lake was still off traveling abroad, hadn't been home in ages. Sure, I only had to deal with Sarah, but that didn't make her some innocent little angel. The nasty glare she threw my way proved that much.

"So, you're Perry?" Sarah gave me this fake-smiley look, her eyes scanning my face with undisguised envy.

I didn't bother playing nice. Just gave a short nod, didn't even offer a handshake. "Yeah."

Honestly, I couldn't care less about anyone in the Ashen Pack-especially not Francis, his mate, or their precious kids.

Sarah curled her lip and gave the faintest eye roll, clearly not thrilled either. "Oh, Perry, come on in."

Francis acted oblivious to our icy vibes. He tugged me into the living room and I dropped onto the couch.

"Perry, you're a wolf of the Ashen Pack. It's time to come back home. I'll have a few wolves tidy up a room for you. From now on, you'll live here with us," Francis said in that gentle tone he liked to use when pretending we were a happy family.

Before I could respond, he turned and tossed a line at Sarah. "Sweetheart, show your sister some respect."

And then he was gone-pulled away by Irene calling him from the other room.

Sarah watched him leave, then shot me a smug little grin. "Living with us? Please. You've been out in the sticks for way too long. Think you can handle how we live here?"

"Yeah, no thanks," I shot back, mocking her with an eye roll of my own. "You guys enjoy your fancy lifestyle. I'm good with a room at the Crown Regent."

I said it just to get under her skin-and it worked. Sarah's eyes narrowed, and her whole expression curdled. "Crown Regent? What, did some money fairy pay for that? Do you even know what's happening with the Ashen Pack right now? Don't you feel the slightest bit guilty?"

"Where I live is none of your business," I said coolly, not even blinking. "I've never used your money. I don't now. And I never will."

I hated this pack, hated everything they stood for. I didn't want a single thing from them. What I had, I earned.

But somehow, that seemed to please Sarah. She perked up, chin tilted arrogantly. "Good. Hopefully you stick to that and don't get greedy for what's ours."

"Sarah, Perry." Irene strolled in, all fake warmth and sugary smiles like she hadn't just heard her daughter's insults. "Looks like you two are getting along just fine. Time for dinner, let's go."

I knew all too well there were plenty of wolves to handle such errands. Irene didn't need to come herself. But she always did this-put on the perfect act for Francis.

"Sure, Mom." Sarah puffed up, clearly feeling victorious as she moved to Irene's side.

Irene looked my way, clearly waiting to see if I'd react to what just happened. If I dared say anything, she'd probably guilt-trip me, painting Sarah as some innocent girl who I was picking on unfairly.

I trailed behind them with a gloomy face. As soon as we reached the dining room, I sped up and dropped into the seat right next to Francis. No doubt that was Sarah's usual spot. The look on her face when she saw me there totally made my day.

"You-" Sarah started, clearly about to snap, but Irene grabbed her arm and shot her a warning look. Sarah bit her tongue and, fuming, picked another seat. I casually picked up my fork, throwing her the same smug look she'd given me earlier.

She looked like she was going to explode, but with both Irene and Francis watching, she had no choice but to simmer down.

Irene didn't look thrilled either. She glared at me, her plastic smile barely hanging on. "Perry, did you upset Alpha Richard? Is that why the two of you didn't end up becoming mates? We could go back tomorrow and try again."

"No," I said lazily, picking at my food. "It wasn't just him. I didn't want it either."

"You didn't want to?" Sarah looked even more pissed, practically losing her cool. "That's hilarious. What makes you think you're too good for an alpha? Who do you think you are?"

I stared at her dumb, bitter face and let out a cold chuckle. "If you want him so bad, why don't you go for it?"

To my surprise, Sarah lit up like she just heard the greatest idea ever. She turned to Irene, excited. "Mom, she's actually right. The deal with Bloodmoon never said it had to be Perry. I could do it!"

"Exactly!" Irene looked thrilled. "Alpha Richard probably didn't like Perry because she's just some backwoods girl who doesn't have the aura of an alpha's mate. But my sweet Sarah? She's perfect luna material..."

The more they hyped themselves up, the harder it was for me not to roll my eyes so hard they got stuck. I was being sarcastic, and they actually took it as a plan?

Francis finally snapped. "Enough! Don't you have any shame?" he barked.

His alpha energy flared out without him even meaning to, instantly shutting Irene and Sarah up. I lowered my head, laughing quietly.

Francis slammed his utensils down and stormed off toward his study upstairs, still clearly seething.

Once he was gone, Sarah flipped her hair with an arrogant huff. She looked over at Irene and said with a sneer, "Whatever, Mom. As if I'd want someone Perry got rejected by. I'm going to find myself someone way better."

I couldn't believe she was for real-like she honestly thought she could find someone stronger than Richard Scott. The way she glared at me, full of scorn, it was like she hated my entire existence. Honestly, she was so delusional it was laughable.

I rushed through dinner. I'd had more than enough of this place. I stood up and left without a second thought. I didn't feel a shred of attachment to the Ashen Pack, and their wealth couldn't tempt me even a bit.

I'd never forget the pain Irene and Francis had put my mother through, and I was done pretending. One day, I'd make sure they paid for it.